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Widely considered as one of Dickens most superb and complete novels, “Bleak House” contains a more vastly complex and engaging array of characters and sub-plots than any of Dickens's novels. As is commonplace in his works, Dickens satirically criticizes the social inequities of his time turning his attacks in this instance to the judicial system of 19th century England. At the center of the novel is the story of John Jarndyce who is tied up in a long-running litigation concerning an estate to which his wards Richard Carstone and Ada Clare are the beneficiaries. A series of events take the vast array of comic and tragic characters from the slums of London to the mansions of noblemen, involving some in treachery and others in discovery. Dickens blends the perfect balance of comedy and social satire in a story that contains mystery, tragedy, murder, redemption, and enduring love. This edition includes an introduction by Edwin Percy Whipple and a biographical afterword.

The book starts in late Victorian England and ends shortly after the first world war. It covers the transition between the end of the Victorian era, and the aimlessness of the next generation very well. The main characters grow up with the best education that can be found in England at the time, which is freely admitted to be not very good. They grow up and deal with love, decadence and the reality of war in a very meaningful way. Beautiful and brilliant this remarkable novel, with the subtitle „The Story of an Education”, is full of love, tragedy, World War I scenes and perspectives on German, Irish, Russian, British and American issues and values. Joan and Peter, orphaned at five and with four guardians, run the gamut.

The iconic Gothic horror classics that gave birth to the monstrous myths that still inhabit our nightmares. Tragic heroines, windswept moors, dark and stormy nights, castle prisons, and forbidden desires realized at the greatest cost—these are the elements of Gothic horror, given its finest expression in these five enduring novels. Frankenstein: Obsessed with the secret of creation, Swiss scientist Dr. Victor Frankenstein cobbles together a body he is determined to bring to life. When the creature opens his eyes one fateful night, the doctor is repulsed: His vision of perfection is a hideous monster. Dr. Frankenstein abandons his creation, but the furious, lonely monster will not be ignored, setting in motion a chain of violence and terror. A gripping story about the ethics of creation and the consequences of trauma, Frankenstein is as relevant today as it is haunting. Dracula: Upon a visit to Transylvania, young English lawyer Jonathan Harker makes a horrifying discovery about Castle Dracula and its resident count, who survives on the blood of human beings. Thus a battle of wits ensues between the vicious count and his various adversaries in this legendary Gothic novel of horror, dark romance, and chilling suspense. Carmilla: Published twenty-five years before Stoker's Dracula, Carmilla is the passionate, thrilling tale of a mysterious young woman's dramatic arrival at an isolated castle. The innocent Laura has never seen anyone like the seductive, secretive Carmilla, except in her dreams—and an antique portrait, which resembles the visitor perfectly, down to the mole on her tempting neck. Laura quickly realizes there is something far more dark and sinister about Carmilla than meets the eye. The Great God Pan: When Mr. Clarke agrees to visit his friend Dr. Raymond, he is dubious about the proceedings he is to witness. In pursuit of what Raymond calls “transcendental medicine,” the doctor intends to make a small incision in a woman's brain, allowing her to see past the world of the senses to a reality beyond imagining—a realm where, Raymond says, one can see the great god Pan. Stephen King has called The Great God Pan “one of the best horror stories ever written.” The Mysteries of Udolpho: Orphaned heroine Emily St. Aubert has been imprisoned by Signor Montoni, her evil guardian, in his gloomy medieval fortress in the Apennines. Terror is the order of the day inside the walls of Udolpho, as Emily struggles against Montoni's rapacious schemes and the threat of her own psychological disintegration. A bestseller in its day and a potent influence on Walpole and Poe, this dreamlike, nearly hallucinatory classic remains one of the most important works in the history of European fiction. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.

This eBook features the unabridged text of ‘Bleak House'from the bestselling edition of ‘The Complete Works of Charles Dickens'. Having established their name as the leading publisher of classic literature and art, Delphi Classics produce publications that are individually crafted with superior formatting, while introducing many rare texts for the first time in digital print. The Delphi Classics edition of Dickens includes original annotations and illustrations relating to the life and works of the author, as well as individual tables of contents, allowing you to navigate eBooks quickly and easily.eBook features: • The complete unabridged text of ‘Bleak House'• Beautifully illustrated with images related to Dickens's works • Individual contents table, allowing easy navigation around the eBook • Excellent formatting of the text Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to learn more about our wide range of titles

Sir Leicester Dedlock and his wife Lady Honoria live on his estate at Chesney Wold. Unknown to Sir Leicester, Lady Dedlock had a lover, Captain Hawdon, before she married and had a daughter by him. Lady Dedlock believes her daughter is dead...

A quaint and idyllic English community is rocked to its very core when a dead body of a man is found and foul play is suspected. Did he fall or was he pushed? The inquest records a verdict of death by misadventure but more than one person is dubious about the death. But with few clues to go on and no likely suspects, it appears that the brutal crime may remain unsolved. There's another murder, lots of behind the scenes investigation into burial and marriage records, questionable parentage, questionable motives, changed names, poisonings, twists and turns galore. This classic from the golden age of detective fiction will suck you in and keep you guessing until the very last page.

This eBook features the unabridged text of ‘Joan and Peter: the Story of an Education'from the bestselling edition of ‘The Complete Works of H. G. Wells'. Having established their name as the leading publisher of classic literature and art, Delphi Classics produce publications that are individually crafted with superior formatting, while introducing many rare texts for the first time in digital print. The Delphi Classics edition of Wells includes original annotations and illustrations relating to the life and works of the author, as well as individual tables of contents, allowing you to navigate eBooks quickly and easily.eBook features: • The complete unabridged text of ‘Joan and Peter: the Story of an Education'• Beautifully illustrated with images related to Wells's works • Individual contents table, allowing easy navigation around the eBook • Excellent formatting of the text Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to learn more about our wide range of titles

Love is the best medicine Olivia Davenport has finally gotten her life back together. She's left her painful past behind, started over in a new town, and become Harmony Harbor's most sought-after event planner. But her past catches up to her when Olivia learns that she's now guardian of her ex's young daughter. With her world spinning, Olivia must reconcile her old life with her new one. And she doesn't have time for her new next door neighbor, no matter how handsome he is. Olivia may act like she's got everything under control, but Dr. Finn Gallagher knows a person in over her head when he sees one. He'd really like to be the shoulder she leans on, but Olivia makes it clear she doesn't want his help. Since he's returned to town, his waiting room has been full of single women feigning illness. Yet the one woman he's interested in is avoiding him. But with a little help from some matchmaking widows and a precocious little girl, Finn might just win Olivia over. BONUS: Includes a complete novel from BookShots Flames! The McCullagh Inn in Maine by Jen McLaughlin

'The Mysteries of Udolpho', by Ann Radcliffe, was published in four volumes on 8 May 1794 by G. G. and J. Robinson of London. The firm paid her £500 for the manuscript. The contract is housed at the University of Virginia Library. Her fourth and most popular novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho follows the fortunes of Emily St. Aubert who suffers, among other misadventures, the death of her father, supernatural terrors in a gloomy castle, and the machinations of an Italian brigand. Often cited as the archetypal Gothic novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho, along with Radcliffe's novel The Romance of the Forest, plays a prominent role in Jane Austen's novel Northanger Abbey, in which an impressionable young woman, after reading Radcliffe's novel, comes to see her friends and acquaintances as Gothic villains and victims with amusing results.(Excerpt from Wikipedia)

Bleak House was first published as a serial between March 1852 and September 1853, and it is one of Charles Dickens's major novels. The novel has many characters and several sub-plots, and the story is told partly by the novel's heroine, Esther Summerson, and partly by an omniscient narrator. At the centre of Bleak House is the long-running legal case, Jarndyce and Jarndyce, which came about because someone wrote several conflicting wills. This legal case is used by Dickens to satirize the English judicial system, and he makes use of his earlier experiences as a law clerk, and as a litigant seeking to enforce copyright on his earlier books. Though the legal profession criticised Dickens's satire as exaggerated, this novel helped support a judicial reform movement, which culminated in the enactment of legal reform in the 1870s.

WRANGLIN'WITH THE RANCHER?Cassidy McCullough can't remember a time when rancher Will Laredo wasn't a huge (albeit handsome) pain in her backside. In this small Texan town, their bickering is almost legendary. When they rescue a baby during a flash flood, however, Will and Cassidy suddenly find themselves temporary guardians of a child…together.Will has a hard time holstering his temper around Cassidy. Now they're both responsible for a lost baby, and darned if they can't stop arguing. The only way to make it through is to declare a cease-fire. And Lord help them both if that happens…because then Will might just discover he's falling for his enemy.

A nobleman takes in a ward and her beautiful chaperone whom he must keep from falling for in in this Regency romance from a New York Times–bestselling author.It's the kind of vow often made on the battlefield. Darby Travers, Viscount Nailbourne, never imagines he'll have to honor it. Yet here she is on his doorstep—his late comrade's young daughter, and Darby's new ward. Worse, she comes with the most overprotective, mistrustful, bothersome chaperone—the child's aunt, Sadie Grace Boxer. Darby is quite sure that behind her lovely facade, the woman is guarding a secret.Sadie Grace faced many trials working in her brother's surgery, but none prepared her for the world she's thrust into with his passing. Navigating the ton, with its endless ball gowns and parade of parties, is difficult enough, but hiding the truth about her niece while the sophisticated viscount watches her every move proves nearly impossible—particularly when his searing gaze tempts her to bare all. But when her family's past catches up with her, she'll have to trust in Darby—no matter the cost to her heart.“Kasey Michaels aims for the heart and never misses.” —New York Times–bestselling author Nora Roberts

Emma Magdolna Rozália Mária Jozefa Borbála Orczy de Orci, or more familiarly known as Baroness Emmuska Orczy, was born on September 23rd, 1865, in Tarnaörs, Heves County, Hungary. The family lived in their ancestral home; a great, rambling farmhouse on the river Tarna. Emmuska's memories of the time were of sophisticated parties, sparkling conversation, joyful dancing and gypsy music. But soon fear of a peasant uprising meant their moving to Budapest and then 12 years of semi-nomadic travels across Europe. Arriving in London in 1880 Emmuska, aged 15, was studying painting and, a few years later, had them chosen for exhibition at the Royal Academy. London, she felt, was home, her spiritual birthplace. Art school also provided a husband. It was here she met a young illustrator, Montague Barstow, the son of an English clergyman. Fearful of mediocrity she plunged headlong into a writing career. And in the weeks after the birth of her son wrote the adventure classic for which she is so famed: The Scarlet Pimpernel. Originally rejected, after being re-worked as a successful play it was published as a book in 1905 and was an instant best-seller. In the coming years they lived on an estate in Kent, a busy and tasteful London home and an extravagant villa in Monte Carlo. All the while Emmuska's pen continued to write adventures for that elusive hero; Sir Percy Blakeney. In 1934, the famed movie producer Alexander Korda turned it into a film starring Leslie Howard. The quintessential Pimpernel of everyone's imagination now made visual reality. Baroness Orczy at the age of 82, died on November 12th, 1947 at Henley-on-Thames in South Oxfordshire.

A ZEBRA SHOUT FRESH NEW ROMANCE“Her characters come alive with warmth and purpose.” --Jodi Thomas, New York Times bestselling authorBroken Promise, Broken HeartAidan Somerville, Duke of Forster, is a rake, a spy, and a soldier, richer than sin and twice as handsome. Now he is also guardian to his deceased best friend's young son. The choice makes perfect sense—except that the child's mother is the lovely Sophia Gardiner, to whom Aidan was engaged before he went off to war. When the news reached him that she had married another, his ship had not yet even left the dock. Sophia does not expect Aidan to understand or forgive her. But she cannot allow him to stay her enemy. She's prepared for coldness, even vengeance—but not for the return of the heedless lust she and Aidan tumbled into ten years ago. She knows the risks of succumbing to this dangerous desire. Still, with Aidan so near, it's impossible not to dream about a second chance…

Bleak House was first published as a serial between March 1852 and September 1853, and it is one of Charles Dickens's major novels. The novel has many characters and several sub-plots, and the story is told partly by the novel's heroine, Esther Summerson, and partly by an omniscient narrator. At the centre of Bleak House is the long-running legal case, Jarndyce and Jarndyce, which came about because someone wrote several conflicting wills. This legal case is used by Dickens to satirize the English judicial system, and he makes use of his earlier experiences as a law clerk, and as a litigant seeking to enforce copyright on his earlier books. Though the legal profession criticised Dickens's satire as exaggerated, this novel helped support a judicial reform movement, which culminated in the enactment of legal reform in the 1870s.

When an heiress runs wild, her stern guardian comes back from abroad to take the whip hand...A willful heiress is taken in hand when her guardian, the disgraced Earl of Endale, returns from abroad to find her a husband and launch her into society. With a reputation as dark as his allure, she finds his discipline both exotic and exciting. To her delight, his instruction includes strict and detailed attention to pleasure. She's fiercely attracted, but when he probes her past, she soon vows to resist. Her heart lies elsewhere, and she means to marry handsome Sir Nigel, her clean-living neighbor and friend. But to her dismay, she finds Sir Nigel has doubts. He suspects her untamed sexuality is due to the Earl's evil influence. Concerned for her safety and her status, Sir Nigel insists she must be tamed and warns she risks losing both his love and her place in society. He attempts a bold rescue, but now she must choose—respectability or a life of delicious sin?

Two women's decision to save a child during WWII will have powerful reverberations over the years. Chiara Ravello is about to flee occupied Rome when she locks eyes with a woman being herded on to a truck with her family. Claiming the woman's son, Daniele, as her own nephew, Chiara demands his return; only as the trucks depart does she realize what she has done. She is twenty-seven, with a sister who needs her constant care, a hazardous journey ahead, and now a child in her charge. Several decades later, Chiara lives alone in Rome, a self-contained woman working as a translator. Always in the background is the shadow of Daniele, whose absence and the havoc he wrought on Chiara's world haunt her. Then she receives a phone call from a teenager claiming to be his daughter, and Chiara knows it is time to face up to the past.

The Mysteries of Udolpho follows the fortunes of Emily St. Aubert who suffers, among other misadventures, the death of her father, supernatural terrors in a gloomy castle, and the machinations of an Italian brigand. Often cited as the archetypal Gothic novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho, along with Radcliffe's novel The Romance of the Forest, plays a prominent role in Jane Austen's novel Northanger Abbey, in which an impressionable young woman, after reading Radcliffe's novel, comes to see her friends and acquaintances as Gothic villains and victims with amusing results.

Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson (13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer. His most famous works are Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. “The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses” is an 1888 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. It is both an historical adventure novel and a romance novel. (Excerpt from Wikipedia)

A quiet cathedral town in England, full of gossips and people who are not quite who they seem to be, is the setting for this murder mystery.Das E-Book The Paradise Mystery wird angeboten von Booklassic und wurde mit folgenden Begriffen kategorisiert:

Widely regarded as Dickens's masterpiece, Bleak House centers on the generations-long lawsuit Jarndyce and Jarndyce, through which “whole families have inherited legendary hatreds.” Focusing on Esther Summerson, a ward of John Jarndyce, the novel traces Esther's romantic coming-of-age and, in classic Dickensian style, the gradual revelation of long-buried secrets, all set against the foggy backdrop of the Court of Chancery. Mixing romance, mystery, comedy, and satire, Bleak House limns the suffering caused by the intricate inefficiency of the law.

ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE Battlefields and barrooms hold much more interest for Edward Westover, Duke of Strathmore, than a little girl's fondness for dolls and lace. When he takes possession of his enemy's estate, everything that villain held dear-including his daughter-belongs to Edward. Hire a governess, arrange a dowry, give a few reassurances, and be off on his way--that's Edward's plan. But he's in for the shock of his life. For his new ward is a beautiful, impetuous, and utterly irresistible woman...... AND WAR Kate Benton is stunned. Who is this arrogant, infuriating man who's invited himself into her home and taken over her life? Her vow: to do everything in her power to convince him to leave her-and Brambly House-alone. Yet as chilly days melt into sultry nights, Kate sees glimpses of kindness underneath Edward's cool favßade... and a passionate nature that takes her breath away. There's so much she doesn't know about this man. But does she dare trust this devilish duke with her heart? The Secret Life of Scoundrels Dukes Are Forever Along Came a Rogue How I Married a Marquess

A rather interesting and quite complex classic mystery encompassing a murder which occurs in a quiet cathedral town and involving a myriad of characters all of which keep the reader quite puzzled throughout...

'Can't you see that I don't care what anybody says?'Charity Royall lives in the small New England village of North Dormer. Born among outcasts from the Mountain beyond, she is rescued by lawyer Royall and lives with him as his ward. Never allowed to forget her disreputable origins Charity despises North Dormer and rebels against the stifling dullness of the tight-knit community surrounding her. Her boring job in the local library is interrupted one day by the arrival of a young visiting architect, Lucius Harney, whose good looks and sophistication arouse her passionate nature. As their relationship grows, so too does Charity's conflict with her guardian; darker undercurrents start to come to the surface. Summer is often compared to Wharton's other New England story, Ethan Frome, and it shares the same intensity of feeling and repression. Wharton regarded it as one of her best works, and its compelling story of burgeoning sexuality and illicit desire has a strikingly modern and troubling ambiguity. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Follow the fortunes of Emily St. Aubert who suffers, among other misadventures, the death of her father, supernatural terrors in a gloomy castle, and the machinations of an Italian brigand. Considered by many to be the first'Gothic'novel.

Sophie Swankowski is the hero from the stories she's been hearing all her life: she's the girl who will save the world. Or so she's been told. Now she and her unlikely guardian—the gruff, filthy mermaid Syrena—must travel the pitch-black seas from broken-down Chelsea, Massachusetts, to Syrena's homeland in Poland. Along the way, Syrena will reveal the terrible truth about her past, and teach Sophie about the ages-old source of her newly discovered power. But left behind in Chelsea, without Sophie to protect them from the dark magic she's awakened, what will become of Sophie's friends and family?Girl at the Bottom of the Sea is the follow-up to Michelle Tea's beloved Mermaid in Chelsea Creek,'a refreshing breath of air in the world of YA, equal parts eerie, heartbreaking, and fantastical.'(ZYZZYVA).

When William Whittlestaff becomes guardian to the penniless daughter of an old friend, he finds himself gradually falling in love with her. But Mary is herself in love with John Gordon, who has gone to seek his fortune in the Kimberley diamond fields. The Oxford edition of An Old Man's Love, Trollope's last completed work is the only annotated edition in print and is accompanied by two appendices detailing its fascinating composition.

Mike Taggart has always been willing to take a gamble. But these stakes are just way too high - there's no way he's prepared to become a legal guardian to his five-year-old niece. His only option is to head from Las Vegas to Last Chance to sort things out as quickly as possible. Problem is, he arrives to find an inconsolable little girl, her sick cat, and a gorgeous veterinarian he can't get out of his mind. Charlene Polk has two talents: healing sick critters and falling in love with the wrong men. Mike has trouble written all over him, but she can't leave him in the lurch. And the more time she spends with the sexy high roller, the more she sees that this ready-made family is the best stroke of luck they've ever had...

Ann Radcliffe was born Ann Ward on 9th July 1764 in Holborn, central London to parents William and Ann. For writer who illuminated her times very little is known of her life. Her father was a haberdasher and the family eventually moved to Bath and lived in well to do gentility. Ann married journalist William Radcliffe, an Oxford graduate, the owner and editor of the English Chronicle, in 1788. The couple's marriage was happy but childless. Radcliffe's career was all consuming. Ann, spending most of her time at home with no children or husband began to develop a literary career to make use of this spare time. It is thought that she would read her writings to him and that he encouraged her to write. Her first novels, The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne (1789) and A Sicilian Romance (1790) were published anonymously. She achieved a wide fame with her third novel, The Romance of the Forest (1791), a tale of 17th-century France. Her next novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794), turned her into the most popular novelist in England. Such was the interest in her that the famed Christina Georgina Rossetti wished to write a biography of her but abandoned the project as there was scant information to use. However we do have her books, six novels in total of which five number several volumes each. They demonstrate her demonstrate vivid descriptions and strong characterisations of tender heroines. She was a pioneer of the Gothic romance adding suspense and sensibility to give the genre a respectability and widespread popularity that it had never previously enjoyed. Strangely she travelled little, her only journey abroad, to Holland and Germany was made in 1794 after most of her novels had been published. It is said many of her beautiful descriptions come from paintings that others painted of the scenes. There is no explanation for why, at the age of thirty-two, the most popular writer of her times stopped publishing, though there is a vast amount of speculation, many years prior to her death on 7th February, 1823.

Featuring characters from the second season of the Syfy series Bitten, this eBook bundle brings together the witches trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong's delicious Otherworld series. Sure to mesmerize fans of Deborah Harkness, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Karen Marie Moning, these novels introduce a trio of kickass heroines who perfectly showcase Armstrong's thrilling imagination. DIME STORE MAGIC Paige Winterbourne was always either too young or too rebellious to succeed her mother as leader of the elite American Coven of Witches. Now that she's twenty-three, the Elders can no longer deny her. But even Paige's wildest antics can't hold a candle to those of her new charge, Savannah, who is all too willing to use her budding powers for evil, and evil is all too willing to claim her. For this girl is being pursued by a dark faction of the supernatural underworld. It's an initiation into adulthood, womanhood, and the brutal side of magic—and Paige will have to do everything within her power to make sure they both survive. INDUSTRIAL MAGIC Someone is murdering the teenage offspring of the underworld's most influential Cabals—a circle of families that makes the mob look like amateurs. And none is more powerful than the Cortez Cabal, a faction with which Paige is intimately acquainted. Her boyfriend is none other than Lucas Cortez, the rebel son and unwilling heir. But love isn't blind, and Paige has her eyes wide open as she is drawn into a hunt for an unnatural-born killer. Pitted against shamans, demons, and goons, it's a battle chilling enough to make a wild young woman grow up in a hurry. If Paige gets the chance. HAUNTED Eve Levine—half-demon, black witch, and devoted mother—has been dead for three years. She has a great house and an interesting love life, and she can't be killed again, which comes in handy when you've made as many enemies as Eve has. All she needs to do is find a way to communicate with her daughter, Savannah, and she'll be happy. But the Fates have other plans. They want Eve to hunt down an evil spirit called the Nix, who has escaped from hell, before she does any more damage. But the Nix is a dangerous enemy: The only way to stop her is with an angel's sword—and Eve is no angel. Praise for Kelley Armstrong and the Otherworld series “Gripping... [a] sexy supernatural romance [whose] special strength lies in its seamless incorporation of the supernatural into the real world.”—Publishers Weekly, on Dime Store Magic “One of my favorite writers.”—New York Times bestselling author Karin Slaughter “Up there with the big girls of the genre like Laurell K. Hamilton.”—The Kansas City Star “Armstrong writes page-turning prose.”—Booklist “One of the masters of urban fantasy.”—Fresh Fiction

The grim guardian; for the lovely and young Miss Patricia Patterson, life seemed a delightful dream until the spectre of her guardian, Lord Charles Gaunt, cast a dark shadow over her carefree days of idleness and evenings of dazzling balls and delicious flirtations. Lord Charles demanded that Patricia act the part of a proper but perfectly put together boring young Miss. What was to her even worse, was that he insisted she devote her waking hours to cultivating her mind rather than captivating her swarm of admirers. So it was the battle was joined - between the handsome, arrogant aristocrat who had Patricia under his lawful power, and Patricia, who in turn vowed to turn this hateful tyrant into her lovelorn subject.

The haunting, atmospheric tale that set the standard for the Gothic novel Emily St. Aubert leads a simple and contented life. A lover of nature, she finds the like-minded man of her dreams, the handsome Valancourt, on a journey across the Pyrenees. Her peace and happiness, however, come to a swift end when her father succumbs to an illness and she is sent to live with her aunt. Madame Cheron does not share her niece's interest in the natural world and shows little concern for the girl's feelings. When her aunt marries a haughty Italian nobleman, Montoni, Emily has no choice but to accompany the couple to the gloomy and remote Castle Udolpho. Unsure if she will ever see her beloved Valancourt again, she is alone, trapped, and frightened. Her nightmare is about to begin. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.

NATIONAL BESTSELLERAs King Robert the Bruce of Scotland plots to retake his English-occupied castles, he needs the stealth and skill of his elite soldiers, the Highland Guard. Fearless and indomitable, no men are more loyal to their king, or more cherished by the women they love. The talents of legendary marksman Gregor “Arrow” MacGregor are crucial now, as Bruce moves to reclaim his Scottish holdings. Gregor is considered the most handsome man in Scotland, and his fame as an archer is rivaled only by his reputation with the lasses as a heartbreaker. But when his infamous face is exposed during a covert mission, Gregor is forced to lie low. He returns home only to find a new battle waiting: a daring game of seduction involving his now very grown-up and very desirable ward, Cate of Lochmaben. A born fighter, Cate was clinging to life when Gregor rescued her after a vicious English raid on her village left her mother dead. But five years later, the once scrappy orphan Gregor took under his protection has become a woman. Brave, strong, and skilled in warfare, Cate is determined to lay claim to the warrior who refuses to be trapped. The heat in his eyes tells her she has his attention... and his desire. But will Gregor allow his heart to surrender before danger finds them, and the truth of Cate's identity is revealed?Praise for Monica McCarty and The Arrow “[Monica] McCarty's gift lies in writing strong characters into wildly entertaining—often unexpected—scenarios. Readers can't go wrong with her latest.”—The Washington Post “The Highland Guard come to life as McCarty fills her tales with historical accuracy and moving romance. The ninth in the series is well paced, emotional and powerfully told. Don't miss it!”—RT Book Reviews (Top Pick!) “One of the best Highlander historical series out there.”—The Reading Cafe “Heart-wrenching... The Arrow made a lasting impression on me.”—Under the Covers “A mixture of passion, history, and great wit to create a tale to captivate your senses! To die for!”—Addicted to Romance “There is danger, laughter, and sweet love and secrets revealed. All the characteristics of a wonderful read.”—Tea and Book “Monica McCarty is an absolutely superior author! Her Highland Guard series has to be one of the absolute best Highland series out there! Fun, fast paced, fact driven and totally fantastic!”—Bodice Rippers, on The Raider “McCarty is a master at writing Highlander romance... keeping her Highland Guard series fresh, with spectacularly riveting plots and fabulously romantic couples.... If you've not read this series yet, then I strongly suggest that you do.”—Night Owl Reviews, on The Hunter

Set in England during the fifteenth-century Wars of the Roses, this swashbuckling historical novel by the author of Treasure Island and Kidnapped tells the story of young Dick Shelton. Betrayed by his treacherous and brutal guardian, Sir Daniel Brackley, Dick seeks the help of John Amend-All, leader of the mysterious fellowship of the Black Arrow—and Brackley's sworn enemy. Pitted against fierce fighters, a treacherous priest, and Sir Daniel, Dick seeks to become a knight and rescue his true love. Brimming with adventure, suspense, and romance, this thrilling tale presents a classic portrait of England during one of its most tumultuous eras, as Dick is pulled by his loyalties to the houses of both York and Lancaster. He must make a crucial choice, for his fate and the fate of England hang in the balance.

The year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston's position has never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.With two months to devise a better plan, Julia's first choice to marry her childhood sweetheart is denied. But when a titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, a realm of possibilities opens. However, treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian society as titles and decorum, and Julia quickly discovers her present is deeply entangled with her mother's mysterious past. Before she knows what's happening, Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between two of the country's most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she must unravel the secrets on her own. But sometimes truth is elusive and knowledge is deadly.

A quaint and idyllic English community is rocked to its very core when a dead body is found and foul play is suspected. But with few clues to go on and no likely suspects, it appears that the brutal crime may remain unsolved. This classic from the golden age of detective fiction will suck you in and keep you guessing until the very last page.

'The Black Arrow', by Scottish novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer Robert Louis Stevenson is a historical adventure set during the Wars of the Roses.

Journalist Mark Manning's Midwestern hometown closes ranks against him when his nephew is suspected of murder For Mark Manning, running the local paper in his Wisconsin hometown is a refreshing change from his life as a hard-charging reporter for the Chicago Journal. Together with his partner, architect Neil Waite, he's settling into scenic, sleepy Dumont, whose inhabitants have welcomed them into their fold. Until Manning's nephew becomes the prime suspect in a murder case. Teenagers Thad Quatrain and Jason Thrush alternated the lead role in the community theatre's production of Teen Play. Now Jason lies dead in his bedroom, the victim of mushroom poisoning. Amid rumors that Thad threatened to kill Jason, the town begins to turn against him. As a sweltering summer draws to an end, a shocking revelation has tempers seething—and threatening to boil over. A novel about sexual identity, desire, and the lies we tell ourselves, Boy Toy explores the secret passions that war within the human heart. Boy Toy is the fifth book in Michael Craft's Mark Manning series, which begins with Flight Dreams and Eye Contact.

At 52, Shiv Murthy is a New Delhi professor of history. He leads a mild, unremarkable life until, while his wife is away, things spin out of control. First, the young and passionate daughter of an old friend breaks her leg and moves in with him. Even as he struggles to care for Meena and ignore his increasing attraction to her, a group of religious extremists challenges one of his lessons on medieval India. His instinct is to apologize, but the voice inside his head keeps asking: “Do you imagine an ordinary man cannot be a hero?” The decision he makes will prompt readers to ask themselves the same question.

With an Introduction and Notes by Doreen Roberts, University of Kent at Canterbury Bleak House is one of Dickens'finest achievements, establishing his reputation as a serious and mature novelist, as well as a brilliant comic writer. It is at once a complex mystery story that fully engages the reader in the work of detection, and an unforgettable indictment of an indifferent society. Its representations of a great city's underworld, and of the law's corruption and delay, draw upon the author's personal knowledge and experience. But it is his symbolic art that projects these things in a vision that embraces black comedy, cosmic farce, and tragic ruin. In a unique creative experiment, Dickens divides the narrative between his heroine, Esther Summerson, who is psychologically interesting in her own right, and an unnamed narrator whose perspective both complements and challenges hers.

Finding the courage to trust your heart can be the hardest thing of all…Dexter Yates has the looks, the money, the swanky apartment, and girlfriends galore. But it's not until his niece, Delphi, is born that Dex falls in love for the first time in his life.Then tragedy strikes when Dex's sister Laura dies in an accident. Suddenly, Dex finds himself a new parent and a single father to boot. With no idea how to raise an eight-month-old baby girl on his own, Dex decides to move into his weekend home in the small village of Briarwood in the Cotswolds.The quirky neighborhood welcomes him with open arms, especially next—door neighbor and gifted cartoonist Molly who offers to help with Delphi. Molly won't put up with any nonsense and her messy romantic past makes her cautious.If they can learn to trust each other, there might be a happily-ever-after for all three.A fresh and fun British women's fiction and a great romantic book with plenty of humor and friendship.Fans of Meg Cabot, Sophie Kinsella, Helen Fielding and Jennifer Weiner will love Mansell's quirky humor and the'will they, won't they'relationship between Molly and Dex.What reviewers are saying about Don't Want To Miss A Thing:'A little bundle of joy changes everything in this quirky chick—lit tale... charmingly well charted.'—Publishers Weekly'her signature blend of humor, romance, and multiple happy endings,'—Booklist'Utterly charming from the first page, Mansell's engaging tale is as welcome and warming as a cup of tea on a rainy night.'—RT Book Reviews'One of the masters of fun, upbeat fiction with twists of romance...'—Shelf Awareness'sweet, funny, and even a tiny bit sad but oh so fantastic!'—Peeking Between the Pages'With a charming English village, a baby, and a playboy, chick—lit enthusiasts can go wrong with this book!'—Debbie's Book Bag

Viele Jahre anhaltender Erbschaftsstreit Jarndyce gegen Jarndyce. Esther Summerson wächst bei Miss Barbery - ihrer Tante - auf. Sie kennt Ihre Eltern nicht, erfährt nur, dass ihre Mutter Schande über die Familie gebracht habe. Nach dem Tod der Tante nimmt der reiche und wohltätige John Jarndyce Ester auf. Sie arbeitet als Haushälterin von Bleak House und Gesellschafterin von Ada Clare und deren Cousin Richard Carstone. Alle drei sind im Rechtsstreit um das Erbe zusammen mit Sir Leicester und der sehr viel jüngeren Lady Dedlock. Esther Summerson ist das Resultat einer vorehelichen Affäre von Lady Dedlock - eines der großen Geheimnisse. Es kommt zu dramatischen Verwicklungen, die schließlich im Tod des Anwalts Tulkinghorn und Lady Dedlocks führten. Ada und der labile Richard, der selbstzerstörerisch sein Lebens völlig auf einen positiven Ausgang des Prozesses aufbaut, haben schließlich geheiratet., Sie geraten in einen Strudel aus Schulden, Krankheit und Selbstverachtung, doch dann taucht ein neues Testament auf.

Armenadvokat Firmian Stanislaus Siebenkäs ist auf Freiersfüßen. Seine Braut, Putzmacherin Lenette Egelkraut, Ratskopistentochter aus Augsburg, kommt in Begleitung des Schulrats Stiefel. Und auch sein bester Freund Heinrich Leibgeber, mit dem er seinen Namen getauscht hat, ist anwesend. Dass der Namenstausch keine Auswirkungen auf die mütterliche Erbschaft von 1.200 Gulden hat, bestätigte sein Vormund „Heimlicher“ v. Blaise schriftlich. Doch das Schriftstück ist mit Sympathetischer Tinte geschrieben, die Schrift verschwunden, das Blatt leer. Und Blaise setzt alles daran, seinem Mündel das Geld nicht auszahlen zu müssen. Eine Vielschichtige und Facettenreiche Geschichte um Verarmung, Ehe, Tod, Hochzeit, Versicherungsbetrug, Identitätstausch und Doppelgänger, fingierten Tod, unwissende Bigami eine außereheliche Liebe

The handsome and debonair Marquis of Raventhorpe is known throughout the Beau Monde as something of a ladies'man until he falls under the spell of Society beauty Lady Sarah Chessington. But when he arrives at the Earl of Chessington-Crewe's house to propose, he realises that Lady Sarah wants him only for his wealth and position and he leaves in a fury, vowing that he will never marry. By the wayside he encounters a young exquisite beauty utterly different from any woman he has ever met, in fact she looks like an angel who has just fallen from Heaven by mistake. She is the Earl's niece and ward, Ula Forde, who is running away from her Guardian, who mistreats and beats her savagely. Outraged, the Marquis rescues her and plots to punish Lady Sarah and the Earl by making Ula the belle of every ball and the toast of London Society. It is only when the despicable Earl kidnaps the terrified girl that love for Ula blossoms in the Marquis's heart. He must rescue her – if he is not already too late –

A man and a woman who become guardians to an orphaned baby fall in love as they learn to be a family in this emotional romance.Can a baby bring them together? Becoming guardian to her orphaned godson is a heartbreaking honor for Emmy Jacobs. The real challenge will be sharing that honor with godfather Dylan Harper! Having got off on the wrong foot with him, Emmy must now somehow get along with the brooding—and gorgeous—Dylan. Dylan has never wanted a family. His own childhood was bad enough, so how can he ever be a father? But he promised his best friend he'd be there and he's going to be. Caring for baby Tyler with a beautiful but emotional woman will test him to the limit. However, watching Emmy with Tyler shows Dylan a new side to her—and a new side to himself....

First published in the form of monthly installments between 1852 and 1853, Charles Dickens's Bleak House is one of the Victorian novelist's immortal classics. In fact, some biographers and critics even consider it to be his ultimate masterpiece. The story is mainly narrated by the protagonist Esther Summerson who has been raised as an orphan first by her aunt and then by her wealthy guardian John Jarndyce. Esther's mother is still alive, though Esther does not know about it and has to discover it later in the narrative. In Jarndyce's Bleak House, Esther lives with the man's two other wards Richard and Ada who gradually fall in love with each other while Esther develops a romantic relationship with Dr. Allan Woodcourt. Esther, Richard and Ada are all beneficiaries of a family will related to the Jarndyce and Jarndyce business. The legal situation of the will is complicated, however. Jarndyce advises Richard not to marry Ada before he finds a decent job. Nonetheless, Richard fails to find a job, wastes all his money and even marries Ada secretly and has a child from her. After further complications in the plot, the narrative ends with Richard's death after having learnt about the uselessness of the will due to the heavy costs of litigation. Jarndyce adopts both Ada and her child and Esther marries Dr. Woodcourt

From the author of the Firefighters of Station Five novels...Sugarland loves their men in blue, especially Detective Shane Ford. But Shane's mission to protect and to serve has just gotten personal.... Detective Shane Ford, Sugarland's favorite cop, has been blindsided by the sudden death of his best friend, NFL star Brad Cooper, and by becoming the legal guardian of Brad's son, Drew—a bitter, angry sixteen-year-old with a dangerous secret. Shane is determined to pry the truth from Drew, but he manages only to alienate him—and winds up going head-to-head with Juvenile Officer Daisy Callahan, whose job is to protect the teen's best interests.Shane has always been drawn to Daisy's beauty and strength, but he's determined not to allow their intense attraction to interfere with his duty ever again. It's a vow that will prove difficult to keep, as the realities of Shane and Daisy's blossoming love and their growing bond with the grieving teen propel Shane headlong into danger for the new family he has sworn to protect.

In the Greenwich Village of 1964, eleven-year-old Fin moves in with his glamorous, careless older sister, and it's hard to tell who's raising whom.

From the Nobel Prize–winning author of Waiting for the Barbarians, The Life & Times of Michael K and Disgrace. Nobel laureate and two-time Booker Prize winner J. M. Coetzee returns with a haunting and surprising novel about childhood and destiny that is sure to rank with his classic novels. Separated from his mother as a passenger on a boat bound for a new land, David is a boy who is quite literally adrift. The piece of paper explaining his situation is lost, but a fellow passenger, Simón, vows to look after the boy. When the boat docks, David and Simón are issued new names, new birthdays, and virtually a whole new life. Strangers in a strange land, knowing nothing of their surroundings, nor the language or customs, they are determined to find David's mother. Though the boy has no memory of her, Simón is certain he will recognize her at first sight. “But after we find her,” David asks, “what are we here for?” An eerie allegorical tale told largely through dialogue, The Childhood of Jesus is a literary feat—a novel of ideas that is also a tender, compelling narrative. Coetzee's many fans will celebrate his return while new readers will find The Childhood of Jesus an intriguing introduction to the work of a true master.

The town of Bath offers ample opportunities for mischief—and romance Carolyn Hardy, determined to hold out for the true love promised in the romance novels she devours, has already broken two betrothals. Although she attracts the attention of many men—including the Prince Regent's brother—she knows little of their more unsavory ways, and resents the efforts of her guardian, elegant Sydney Saint-Denis, to shield her from them. To prove her mettle, heedless of any risk, Carolyn flirts more outrageously than ever, even with a gypsy prince. She certainly doesn't view Sydney as a potential suitor. In no way does the foppish man resemble the hero of her dreams. But she will learn that there's more to Sydney than meets the eye... The Bath Charade is the 2nd book in the Bath Trilogy, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.